Last Half 2022 – August

Good Morning ALL! The sky is clear in the distance but at home there are rain clouds hovering as they dropped their precious cargo over us. The colours are more brilliant this morning as a result of the rain and the cooler temperatures a welcome relief for some of us. The wind is very strong this morning much different than yesterday morning. I love weather. Ever changing. The sky is amazing. I cannot wait to be in the country for a few days. One of the things that I love the most about the countryside is the night sky. The sky is filled with brilliant shining stars. So different than in the city where you might see five on a good night. Oh how I love the countryside!

How about some GREAT news? It seems as of late my news has been all over the place. Yesterday I called Alvin’s Vet and the tech answered the phone. She was just the person that I needed to speak with so I was very happy. Yes, the only changes that Alvin needs to do is FOOD. Change the diet. Perhaps a supplement. No more testing. No abdominal ultrasound. I confirmed that for certain. Yes, she just has to contact the reps for the food companies and sort out which is the best food for Alvin and also find out how long it is backordered. That is the problem with human food and pets alike. Backorder. I have come to despise that word. I get the supply chain, I get it. We have so many options and my Alvin does not so I am hoping that we can work something out. He will need to get on it sooner than later. I recently bought a bag of food which has not been opened yet and I was hoping that I could trade it in for the new food. I guess time will tell. Not likely as it is looking as today is Thursday. He can also take a supplement so perhaps that will help in the meantime while we wait for the food to come in. I will have to phone and find out and then pick up the supplement. I wonder how much that will cost? Michelle, also advised that he will need to have bloodwork and urinalysis in six months. We can do that. That will be during his 14th year birthday month.

Anyway, I can breathe a sigh of relief, actually I did and I did a little jig as well. Alvin must have sensed my joy and became playful. He ran into the living room and grabbed one of his toys, his favourite “teddy bear” and brought it to me so that we could play tug-o-war. The look in his eyes brought tears of joy to my eyes.

Wow, it is really raining out there now. Sure am happy that we did get a walk in yesterday. Today may be a raining day with no walking permitted.

Time to head downstairs. Walking on sunshine or perhaps a rainbow!.

Have a wonderful day.

Continuing to live this life with kindness, respect, compassion, patience, love, laughter, understanding, gratitude, focus, possibilities, coffee and faith.

Always, Carol & Alvin

PS: only 5 days till I turn 65. Will I feel any different?

Living … One day at a time.

Hi,  well this has been one of the longest and at that the same time shortest weeks of my life.

Each day wrapped in what felt like a time capsule.

Moment to moment filled with hope.

Hope for a good healthy “poop.”

Really, I have never or not recently hoped for someone to have a good healthy poop.

Yes, I do remember wanting needing to have a good one for myself…. LOL.

Each day, every time that we go outside, I say to Alvin “please have a good poop.”

This whole week has been wrapped up and around “poop.”

Not really funny or humorous but at the same time how can you not smile.

So much of our lives … okay all of our lives revolve around having a good daily healthy poop.

We write about it …. doctors journal about it and test it ….. we think about it daily.

It is necessary for a good healthy life.

Yes, it does.

I cannot believe that we, I have been home with Alvin for a whole week filled with eager anticipation around a bowel movement.

But alas I have.

Still no “good poop” today so we have another appointment with the Vet for bloodwork.

Argh, I was ever so hopeful that it would have happened and we would not have come to this point.

I cannot believe that he has not had a good poop yet.

He jumps onto the sofa, sniffs when we are outside, happily eats his chicken & rice meals, drinks water and pees.

You would not know upon looking at him that there is anything wrong with him.

In all of the nine years that we have been together he has never had diarrhea for this length of time.

We started the medications on Tuesday late afternoon and I had high hopes that yes, he would have had a good “BM” by now.

Perhaps he can feel my frustration and anxiety.

I feel badly that I have left my coworkers with extra work to do for a whole week only one week after returning from vacation.

I feel guilty that I cannot magically make Alvin better.

I feel guilty that despite my days at home that I have not really done anything …

Well I have looked after my boy.

We have walked, I have cooked for him and put salve on his bum.

I am available to jump on a moment’s notice to go outside …..

Well our appointment is for 3:30 p.m. so as I am a glass half full kind of gal …. I am hoping for a miracle …..

Time will tell.

 

Alvin has remained patient …. more than me during this whole ordeal.

Considering it is his insides that are not functioning properly.

Considering that his life has been turned upside down for the past week.

Missing his friends …..

But that is me Alvin ….. always surprising me.

 

Quick little story to share before I sign off.

Yesterday morning while we were outside with hopes for some bottom end action, the good kind.

Something flew above us and landed on the railing on the deck.

I ducked while squinting in the bright sunshine to see what it was …. I was pretty certain it was not a bird.

In seconds I realized that it was a bat.

I have been carrying my phone with me to take “poop photos” here and there.

Okay I know, crazy poop lady.

That will be a handle that I will not soon lose that is for sure …..

While the bat was busy on the railing ….. I called out to my neighbour ….

Quickly made sure that Alvin was out of the way (into the house).

I managed to capture some video.

I did not see the face of the bat clearly due to the bright sunlight but definitely could see the wings when it landed and was about to fly away.

Never been that close to a bat.

It was small and we thought it was a baby or young bat for sure.

My neighbour thought perhaps it was injured but we could not tell for certain.

It was definitely trying to get out of the sunlight.

I had the umbrella open on the deck and it flew underneath.

At one point it actually was hanging upside down.

After opening the kitchen window …. the baby got active once again and flew away.

We figured that it was in my neighbour’s tree.

Later on I sent the videos to my kids and they replied with a phone number for Animal Control – with the Bat link.

So I decided to call just to ask some questions and was happy that I had called.

The guy on the phone just happened to be the “bat guy” …. yes, he was.

He said that the adult bats have already left for caves and other spots but the juveniles are still about trying to get their bearings.

Some may fly into an object and then be confused or could be sick or horror among horrors be rabid.

He said under no circumstances to get near to it and to keep my dog away as well.

He also said to watch when taking my dog to the backyard for a brown patch on the grass as it might be the bat.

ARGH.

Anyway, I have been examining the grass and the deck every time we go outside, just in case.

No baby bat.

I do hope that it survived and found its’ way to a safe place.

Also I learned if you happen to get near the bat and see that it is agitated or making clicking noises …. signs that it may be rabid so GET AWAY and call him.

So even at home waiting for poop to happen we have had visitors.

 

Well time to get back downstairs once again.

Time to sweep the floor and do a couple of things before we leave for the Vet.

Time for one more small meal for Mr. Alvin.

He has been eating four small meals each day.

Also he just passed some gas.

Not great.

Oh, my poor boy.

This has been the week for sure.

 

Showing kindness and respect to all creatures is important.

 

Always, Carol & Alvin